2021 Strade Bianche, March 6th

[tobydawq]

Is he a time traveller? He only gets the trident a week and a half after Strade.

 

[jarvo]

That's a terrible design imo, having what amounts to a predetermined breaking point in such a critical piece of equipment that has to withstand significiant force at the most important points of a race.

But props to them for recognising the mistake.

The bars didn't break anywhere near the point of where they extend. It was the drop that snapped

 

[Lequack]

The man is just too strong for his handlebars

 

[EliseeReclus]

The bars didn't break anywhere near the point of where they extend. It was the drop that snapped

It looks like it broke where the lever was fitted - I've seen Canyon has a proprietary band-on for their slightly odd shaped handlebars so perhaps it may be a design fault of a different variety than the extendobars section of them

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Because he is such a terrible puncheur?

yup, only 6th in LBL and 10th in Lombardia. This guy will get dropped at a bridge and clearly has no chance at all against Alaphilippe or WvA

 

[Volderke]

MvdP is obviously a top contender. Last year he was undertrained / underraced and he still got 15th (after a flat).
This year he is even more of a monster. WvA has more (proven) climbing pedigree but not by much, and he comes from a high-altitude training camp.
Still, both WvA and MvdP will be closer to cracking on the very steep slopes, compared to Fuglsang , Pogacar and Alaphilippe.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

MvdP is obviously a top contender. Last year he was undertrained / underraced and he still got 15th (after a flat).
This year he is even more of a monster. WvA has more (proven) climbing pedigree but not by much, and he comes from a high-altitude training camp.
Still, both WvA and MvdP will be closer to cracking on the very steep slopes, compared to Fuglsang , Pogacar and Alaphilippe.

yep agree.. on the longer climbing strokes mvdp will suffer the most. But if he is still there in Siena no way is he at a disadvantage on a 500m hill vs those guys. MVDP excels at sprinting on <1km ramps.

 

[jarvo]

I like Woods and Bernal as outside choices

 

[Boes]

I'm hoping for:

• rain & mud
• no flats for WVA, MVP, Alafpolak or any of the contenders
• 3-4 guys sprint in Sienna with the likes of WVA, MVP, Alafpolak and/or Pogacar, Fulsang, ect.

 

[SafeBet]

I like Woods and Bernal as outside choices

I don't think Woods bike handling is good enough for a race like Strade Bianche, but I'd be glad to be proven wrong.
One of my favorite riders since last year Vuelta.

 

[Samu Cuenca]

I don't think Woods bike handling is good enough for a race like Strade Bianche, but I'd be glad to be proven wrong.
One of my favorite riders since last year Vuelta.

He can just glue himself to the wheel of one of the other favourites and he'll be alright. But since he isn't riding the race, it doesn't matter this year.

 

[TourOfSardinia]

Gianni Moscon Out of SB & MSR

"The wrist is broken": Moscon what bad luck, skips Strade Bianche and Milan-Sanremo.
He fell on Sunday at Kuurne-Bruxelles-Kuurne and had already missed Laigueglia on Tuesday

From gazzetta (in italian)

“Il polso è rotto”: Moscon che sfortuna, salta Strade Bianche e Milano-Sanremo

Il trentino di Ineos Grenadiers era caduto domenica alla Kuurne-Bruxelles-Kuurne e aveva già saltato il Laigueglia di martedì

www.gazzetta.it

 

[Orbit501]

GVA to finally get this one!

Most likely not going to happen, but a man can hope.

He seems in good shape. Was climbing exceptionally well in Provence.

I have him and Stybar as outsiders to upset the MVDP, WVA, Alaphilippe apple cart.

 

[RedheadDane]

He can just glue himself to the wheel of one of the other favourites and he'll be alright. But since he isn't riding the race, it doesn't matter this year.

Aren't you getting a little hung up over minor insignificant details?

 

[Pantani_lives]

It's certainly an impressive line-up!

Men:
****Alaphilippe, Van der Poel, Van Aert
***Fuglsang, Pogacar, Asgreen
**Pidcock, Küng, Bettiol, Formolo, Ballerini
*De Marchi, Brambilla, Van Avermaet, Wellens, Valverde, Mas, Bilbao, S. Yates, Bardet, Kwiatkowski, Stybar

Women:
****Van der Breggen
***Van Vleuten, VDB-Blaak, Kopecky (?)
**Bastianelli, Deignan, Uttrup, Vollering,
*Longo Borghini, Guderzo, Niewiadoma, Vos, Lippert

I can't find Kopecky and D'hoore on the current start list, but Kopecky was announced.

 

[Samu Cuenca]

Aren't you getting a little hung up over minor insignificant details?

Perhaps. With Valverde there, I do Hope for a rematch between them.

 

[Volderke]

*Alaphilippe
****(1/2) Van der Poel, Van Aert
***Fuglsang, Pogacar, Pidcock, Brambilla
**Bettiol, Formolo, Bernal, Woods, Mollema, GvA, Wellens
* Vino, Rebellin

Gruppetto: Pernsteiner

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Alaphilippe himself didn't exactly set the world on fire the only time he climbed via Santa Caterina with a chance to win the race. He followed Van Aert until Fuglsang attacked and then followed him all the way to the top. He outsprinted Fuglsang on the flat part.
Their time up the wall was around 50".

I think we have enough examples of very punchy rider being beaten (or even blown away in some cases) on via Santa Caterina to be aware that anything can happen once they get there.

And i would rate Fuglsang that year higher than i would both van der Poel and van Aert now, when it comes to steep climbs like that.

 

[tobydawq]

*Alaphilippe
****(1/2) Van der Poel, Van Aert
***Fuglsang, Pogacar, Pidcock, Brambilla
**Bettiol, Formolo, Bernal, Woods, Mollema, GvA, Wellens
* Vino, Rebellin

Gruppetto: Pernsteiner

Vino and Rebellin will not participate.

 

[SafeBet]

Perhaps. With Valverde there, I do Hope for a rematch between them.

Every race is a rematch between Woods and the whole peloton.

My stars:
**** * Van Aert
**** Van der Poel, Alaphilippe
*** Fuglsang, Bettiol, Wellens, Stybar, Pogacar
** Pidcock, Formolo, Mollema, GVA, Kwiatkowski, Kung
* Bernal, Valverde, Clarke, Brambilla, Simmons, Ballerini, Madouas, Mohoric

 

[Samu Cuenca]

Vino and Rebellin will not participate.

They will be there in spirit. And Vino might be in the Astana car.

 

[Escarabajo]

Can someone tell me why Pogacar is rated so high here?

If Roglic was more aggressive with his friend he would have dropped him on stage 18 in Le Tour 2020.

 

[red_flanders]

It looks like it broke where the lever was fitted - I've seen Canyon has a proprietary band-on for their slightly odd shaped handlebars so perhaps it may be a design fault of a different variety than the extendobars section of them

This guy does a good analysis, looks like it's due to a poor design of the clamp for the brake lever.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0CwTwspUaKI

 

[BlueRoads]

Can someone tell me why Pogacar is rated so high here?

If Roglic was more aggressive with his friend he would have dropped him on stage 18 in Le Tour 2020.

I think Roglic should have tried, but I'm not sure he could have.

Why I rate Pogacar very high for this race: Because he can produce insane watts, he's punchy, he can climb, he was there in the finale of LBL, he's in form as shown in UAE. He's not the most skilled, but not bad skilled either.

 

[Volderke]

Can someone tell me why Pogacar is rated so high here?

Nobody dares to underestimate the guy after stage 20 in that same Tour, maybe?